• The same arguments after every loss, it seems, but (I) am amused that the other team’s fans are demanding answers as well. Imagine Ryan Cook playing right tackle here.

• Vikings fans want to know why Cook couldn’t block a 32-year-old who’s only been to one Pro Bowl and is coming off a torn biceps, or why he was steamrolled by a firstyear starter, or why Adrian Peterson couldn’t get rolling against a team missing an injured linebacker.

• There are always two sides.

• Heck, there are always two sides to my own opinion. That’s why I’m blogging elsewhere at the moment.

• Seriously, upon second viewing, the offensive line looked better than it looked while watching the Vikings game live. The right side really only fell apart in one series, and that occurred right after Ben Roethlisberger had read a second-and-5 blitz and checked into a first-down conversion pass to Heath Miller. It was followed by two sacks and a give-up draw. But, because of what Roethlisberger had just shown, there’s hope.

• Lawrence Timmons, the backup to the injured starting linebacker, looked like Kendrell Bell getting over to stop Adrian Peterson in the open field for a short gain on a completed pass. It may not have looked like a “splash play” at the time, but it certainly stopped one in progress.

• Timmons also ran over the tight end to knock the quarterback down on third-and-11. He later missed another sack by inches on third-and-10.

• James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley pressured the quarterback when Timmons didn’t. Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel applied pressure from the D-line. The increased pressure from the defensive side of the ball is evident, and should be worth celebrating at this time.

• Willie Colon pulled from right tackle on one play and led the back through the hole by taking Justin Hartwig and a safety with him. For the last time, this guy’s a guard.

• He’s a guard in my blog, too.

• Thought this would be impossible to say, but the return game hasn’t improved at all over last year. Santonio Holmes still looks like “the other guy” to Ted Ginn that he was at Ohio State, and Rashard Mendenhall is just biding time returning kickoffs.

• Eddie Drummond? Oh, he went to Penn State.

• The new third-down back — Mewelde Moore — is an upgrade. Also saw Orpheus Roye blowing someone up before making a tackle for a loss. Keyaron Fox was also a solid offseason find.

• The play in which two Vikings collided because they got to Roethlisberger too quickly: After the one end beat Marvel Smith, the CBS announcer yelled, “Look out!” It’s not quite the classic definition of a “look-out block” but perhaps Marvel yelled it, too.

• If the Vikings are supposed to be a Super Bowl contender, this game boded (boded?) well for the Steelers. Just watch it a second time, because the Steelers, even after Mendenhall’s first fumble, outplayed this alleged juggernaut.

• The AFC North is turning to mush. Cleveland’s QB woes — at least addressed in the last draft — will become apparent as the Browns take on a favorite’s role for their first round of big games. Cincinnati is now waving Rudi Johnson at teams in search of another wide receiver, when they should be looking for pass rushers, linebackers, and coverage men. Baltimore is a disaster waiting to happen if Joe Flacco grows up to play as poorly as he did in the Division I-AA championship game last season. Never fails to amaze how on draft day a QB’s skill set overrides his in-game decisions. It’s why late-rounders will continue to thrive in this league.